A password is a secret word or string of arbitrary characters (e.g., letter, digits, symbols, etc.) that is used for authentication to prove identity or gain access to a resource. For example, an access code is a type of password. The password is typically assigned to a person and is kept secret from those who are not allowed access or that are assigned their own different passwords. User names and passwords are commonly used by users during a log in process that controls access to protected computer operating systems, mobile phones, cable Television (TV) decoders, automated teller machines (ATMs), or any similar systems. A typical computer user may require passwords for many purposes, such as logging into computer accounts, retrieving email from servers, accessing programs, databases, networks, or web sites, reading subscribed online content (e.g., online newspapers), or accessing any other secured or restricted systems.
There is no need for passwords to be actual or correct words. Typically, passwords are text based. Passwords that are not actual text may be harder to guess, which can be desirable. The terms “word” or “words” are used herein to representing any text string. Some passwords may be long and formed from multiple words and may be referred to as passphrases. The term passcode is also sometimes used, e.g., when the secret information contains numeric text. For examples, passcodes include personal identification numbers (PINs) commonly used for ATM access. In many cases, text based security words or codes are generally short enough to be easily memorized and typed. Such words also have disadvantages, e.g., in comparison to authentication systems relying on cryptographic protocols that are more difficult to circumvent, in that text based security methods may be stolen, spoofed, forgotten, etc.